Team Love: Team Will

You may have noticed my growing collection of Team Stickers, over on the left hand side. It is pretty much a list of boys that I would marry if they were real *sigh*. Let's just pretend, for now, that they are. You don't do that anyway? Well, I do...

Moving on. My list of boys contains the sexy and the sweet, the good and the bad, but never the ugly. Unless you are looking at pictures of Jamie Campbell Bower from The Mortal Instruments movie.

TEAM WILL (The Infernal Devices):

Yes, yes, I know I can't chose both and only one can really end up with Tessa, but:

Well, I might care a little when I am crying at the end of Clockwork Princess. So far, however, my heart is torn down the middle. One side is the sexy, Will side, and the other is the cute, sweet, Jem side.

Today I am the Will side, because he is so great. If you have read both the Mortal Instruments and the Infernal Devices, it is obvious that Jace is a descendant of Will. He is so hilariously witty, with a dark and twisty, tortured inner battle that is so like Jace. I don't understand how a boy who fighting against himself, but keeps a false face for everyone else is attractive, but it is. In multiple centuries.

Will, the tall, dark haired, English boy is just my cup of tea. As Tessa's mean, confusing kind-of friend, he is just great. Annnd I've just been rambling on about his greatness without actually telling you anything...

He is a Shadowhunter who accidentally released a demon when he was twelve that told him anyone he loved would die. He left home so his family wouldn't suffer, and became an orphan at the London Institute, where he met Jem Carstairs, another orphaned Shadowhunter. Jem became his parabatai, and because Jem was already slowly dying of demon poison, Will felt like he could love him, because he wouldn't be causing his death. Talk about bromance! These two are so adorable, you just don't want Tessa to choose either.

Actually... I'm probably leaning more towards Team Will for Clockwork Princess, but I feel really confused and sad and panicked and....

Anyway, so he only lets himself love Jem, until Tessa arrives and he can't stop thinking about her. He tries to hide his feeling so she can't get close to him and die because of the demon's curse, but she falls for his attractiveness and tortured soul and his love for reading that she shares. So begins the tornado of emotions that I feel when reading about Will and Tessa's relationship.

"I felt I was dreaming and thinking and feeling with you. I dreamed what you dreamed, wanted what you wanted- and then I realized that I truly just wanted you. The girl behind the scrawled letters. I loved you from the moment I read them. I love you still."

Although he has the public, conceited side, Tessa brings out the adorable, soft side of Will that makes you just want to squeal with happiness.

“He bent to put his cheek against hers. His breath against her ear made her shudder with each deliberately spoken word. "I have wanted to do this," he said, "every moment of every hour of every day that I have been with you since the day I met you.”  

I definitely need to go back and read these again. Will's sad, pained side and his funny, conceited side collide into one HILARIOUS boy. Plus, the DSBS is worth reading any day.

“Are you implying that shreds of my reputation remain intact?" Will demanded with mock horror. "Clearly I have been doing something wrong. Or not something wrong, as the case may be." 
He banged on the side of the carriage. "Thomas! We must away at once to the nearest brothel. I seek scandal and low companionship.”

HE'S JUST SO ATTRACTIVE AND SAD. I can't take it.

YES. I LOVE YOU. I CHOOSE YOU.

Pondering Alex Pettyfer

I was looking at my stats the other day, and a post about Alex Pettyfer is always on my most- viewed list. I started to ponder why that was. My initial thoughts were: people probably just look on Google images, and I just happen to post a lot of pictures of the hottie. My second thought was: why are people so attracted to him. If you aren't, that's okay, but a LOT of people are. What makes him so fundamentally attractive. His jaw-line? His hair? His overall sexiness that cannot be compared to most boys?

It also strikes me that I have read many online articles about his bad behaviour on set, or arrogance. I think this may help to figure out what makes him so attractive: He knows it.

He knows he is attractive, he knows he's good looking, etc. He works it, because he knows how to manipulate it, I think.

I know that many of the articles were probably false, but it honestly wouldn't surprise me. How could someone so hot not know it? It has got to be pretty obvious when your sexy meter has broken, because you are just THAT sexy.


If I met him, I would probably faint. That would be okay though, because he would probably carry me off in search of help. I know, in my dreams, right?

What does this have to do with a book bog, you may be wondering? Yes, well...I don't know, but let's say it has to do with the fact that Alex Pettyfer should play any boy in any book adaptation ever.

ARC Review: Burn for Burn

Title: Burn for Burn
Series: Burn for Burn (#1)
Authors: Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian
Pages: 368
Release Date: September 18, 2012

BIG GIRLS DON'T CRY...
THEY GET EVEN.

Lillia has never had any problems dealing with boys who like her. Not until this summer, when one went too far. No way will she let the same thing happen to her little sister.

Kat is tired of the rumours, the insults, the cruel jokes. It all goes back to one person– her ex-best friend– and she's ready to make her pay.

Four years ago, Mary left Jar Island because of a boy. But she's not the same girl anymore. And she's ready to prove it to him.

Three very different girls who want the same thing: sweet, sweet revenge. And they won't stop until they each had a taste.

Film Friday: Comparing The Hunger Games

So, just over two years ago, I made a post about rumoured Hunger Games casting. I figured I'd do with it what I did HERE with the City of Bones cast. Amber Skye and I made our own cast for the upcoming Mortal Instruments movie, and I compared our original thoughts to the end result HERE.


On October 29, 2010, I posted about the rumoured Katniss possibilities, and who I thought should be Jace (HERE).

Rumoured Katniss: 

There were many rumours for Katniss, including Kristen Stewart, Malese Jow, Kaya Scodelario, and Chloe Moretz. I was completely against Kristin Stewart because of the whole Twilight fiasco. My favourite was Kaya Scodelario, because she looked the most like my imagine of Katniss, and I believe she could pull off the hard- shelled Katniss.

Real Katniss:

I was so against Jennifer Lawrence in the beginning, because I didn't like the idea of anyone playing Katniss (unless it was me...). However, after seeing the movie, she was PERFECT. She was so good.

My Peeta:

Alex Pettyfer is pretty much a Greek God, who was put on this planet for me to drool over...And I like to cast him in all of my movie roles, hoping that I will one day get just ONE. I usually cast him in all blond guy roles (Jace, Peeta, etc.), however, I sometimes try to sneak him into a brunette role. I tried to cast him as Will Herondale, until Amber Skye, my affiliate, made me see the error of my ways....and the hotness of Douglas Booth. Anyway, he is not my perfect Peeta, he probably would have been if he he's actually my perfect Jace Wayland. However, I picked him as the closet boy I could think of at the time, and I really like that picture of him for Peeta!

Real Peeta: 

At first, I was a little offended, I kept saying " EW Why did they pick some short, brunette random that I have never seen??". Yes, don't kill me. I have now seen the movie, and the error in my ways. I LOVE HIM *fangirls* They could not have found a more perfect Peeta in my mind. It turns out the casting people knew more than I thought ;). That being said, I can't wait for Catching Fire to come out next year! If you haven't seen The Hunger Games yet, please watch it!! Even my sister, who dislikes any stories other than real-world ones, watched Hunger Games five times.

Pondering eBooks vs. Physical Books

As physical books have started to become more obsolete, I struggle against the majority of people rushing for eBooks. Kindles, Nooks, the Sony eReader, and other electronic books have begun their takeover on the internet.

I will admit that I own an eReader, however, I still yearn to turn physical pages and see the progress I'm making in a book. I still have an extensive collection of physical books, and the dream of having a house with my personal library in it someday, sliding ladders and all.

I will not argue that electronic readers have not revolutionized reading, and made it available for a larger market. It also allows travelers to carry around hundreds of books, without breaking their back, or the bank when they pay an excess baggage charge.

There is still a part of me that feels guilty when I argue that bookstores should not close, and yet I am either buying cheaper books online, or buying electronic books. Although I feel the guilt, there is also the selfish part of me that feels like buying the cheaper is so much better. If I go to a bookstore, a new book is $17-$20, (Remember when The Host came out, and it was $30?!), and I can buy the same new book for $9 online.

It's sad that bookstores are slowly becoming obsolete, but the prices and easiness of buying online outweighs the bookstores for many people.

Film Friday: The Hobbit

I have come up with my own meme, Film Friday. Every week I will talk about a movie that is being adapted from a book. I will update you with news of the upcoming film. This week's topic is the upcoming movie, The Hobbit.

The prequel to the Lord of the Rings doesn't seem to have the same cult-like following as LOTR. However, as the Hobbit is being made in the same vein as the other movies, I'm sure it will be incredibly popular. It comes out exactly one month from today, Friday, December 14th.

I read the book for school about five years ago, and I still think I will see the movie. Mostly out of curiosity about the quality of the movie in relation to the original movies (I should probably watch the last one first...).

There has been some speculation about where they will end the first part of the Hobbit's story, and whether or not it will be a trilogy. There has also been some stressing about New Zealand's economic situation, which is struggling more than it was eleven years again when the first movie was released.

It will also be interesting to see if the new addition to the Lord of the Rings story will roll in as much money as the original trilogy. NZ $353 million was made from the first trilogy, and it will be difficult for the new movie to come close to a third. Do you think the movie will succeed or suffer?

Awkward Book Covers: Rant 1

I decided that I am going to start my own meme where I can rant about bad book covers... or just covers I don't particularly like, seeing as I already post about covers I love! I have a short rant for you today about awkward book covers. I was just on google the other day, and I came across this book cover:

How Awkward. First of all, they look extremely cramped in there. Second of all, that car looks like one of the creepy vans from a Forensic Files. Third of all, if it is a creepy van from Forensic Files, why are they so scrunched up in the front?! It doesn't make sense. Especially since her back must be jammed into the steering wheel. Apparently love makes you ignore back pain, or large wheels protruding into your back? I don't know, but I'm not a fan of this book cover. 

How about you?

Team Love: Team Jace

You may have noticed my growing collection of Team Stickers, over on the left hand side. It is pretty much a list of boys that I would marry if they were real *sigh*. Let's just pretend, for now, that they are. You don't do that anyway? Well, I do...

Moving on. My list of boys contains the sexy and the sweet, the good and the bad, but never the ugly. Unless you are looking at pictures of Jamie Campbell Bower from The Mortal Instruments movie.

TEAM JACE (The Mortal Instruments):

If there was one book boy I could choose, I would be Jace Wayland. He is the best of the best, the hottest of the hotties, the dreamiest of the dreamy.

He's tall, blond, and supposedly the most good looking boy on the planet- my dream boy. Alas, it is not to be between us. I will just have to carry on dreaming about him though.

He is definitely my ideal book boy, the kind that you just want to squeal for, even though you'd probably never be with a boy like him in real life. I can't tell you how many times I have been reading The Mortal Instruments and either fallen on my bed squealing, or desperately tried to stop myself from giggling to myself at school. Especially when he says things like this:

“I know it's wrong - God, it's all kinds of wrong - but I just want to lie down with you and wake up with you, just once, just once ever in my life.” 

He is just SO GREAT. When it was between Jace and Simon, I honestly had no idea why anyone would Team Simon, because Jace is so strong and witty and... perfect :D There is really nothing else to say. I must say, however, that I was extremely disappointed and in shock when the movie was cast with Jamie Campbell Bower as the amazingwonderfulgorgeous Jace Wayland. I don't think JCB is any of those things...



"Men do not consume pink beverages. Get thee gone woman, and bring me something brown!"

Review: Losing It by Cora Carmack

Bliss Edwards is about to graduate from college and still has her virginity. Sick of being the only virgin among her friends, she decides the best way to deal with the problem is to lose it as quickly and simply as possible-- a one-night stand. 

But her plan turns out to be anything but simple when she freaks out and leaves a gorgeous guy alone and naked in her bed with an excuse that no one with half-a-brain would ever believe. 

And as if if that weren't embarrassing enough, when she arrives for her first class of her last college semester, she recognizes her new theatre professor. She'd left him naked in her bed about 8 hours earlier. (from goodreads.com)

Pondering Book Trailers

Book Trailer #1: "OOOOH That looks good!"
Book Trailer #2: "EW that looks horrific. I will NOT be reading that."

This is basically what every sleepover I have ever had with my affiliate, Amber Skye, sounds like. She forces book trailers on me...literally, holds my eyes open to make me watch. Okay, maybe that is a little exaggerated.

Anyway, my point is that I have never been a lover of book trailers. Honestly, I had not seen a book trailer until Amber came along...and I'm not entirely sure whether or not it is a good thing that I have now seen them.

If I watch them, I tend to make a decision based on the awful acting, bad script, etc., and it can skew my opinion of a book I had on my to-read list. On the other hand, the trailer could be awesome, and I might need to add that book to my list.

I know my feelings are ambivalent, so I can't quite make a concrete statement: Yes, I like book trailers, or No, I don't.

I have seen good, and bad, and they sometimes bore me. However, if I start watching them, I have difficulty stopping because there's that annoying, yet amazing list on the right side of Youtube screaming at me "Oh, you just want to watch ME before you log off."

And now....I don't really know where my pondering was going. What do you think about book trailers?

A book trailer that I didn't like, Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi:

A book trailer that changed my mind for the better, was Insignia by S.J. Kincaid:

Dream Cast: Losing It by Cora Carmack

I recently read Cora Carmack's book, Losing It, and she also recently posted about a contest on her blog: make your dream cast for Losing It (read the post HERE). So obviously, I hopped right on Google images, and searched for swoony boys that could possibly be my perfect Garrick. I did find a boy, which became the basis of my contest post, but he is not the PERFECT image that I see in my head. So, here we go...

GARRICK:

Aka, my favourite swoonerific boy from Losing It. I always have a hard picturing blond book-boys as blond. I always end up picturing a brown, swishy hair type boy. And let me tell you, I picked a hot one this time, JED TEXAS.

*swoon* He. Is. Lovely. And he's English, so that's a plus if they ever make the movie! He's 6'2", with blue eyes like Garrick. He's about as perfect as I think I could get to match it to my mind. Well, I saw him and decided I didn't need to look any further anyway.

BLISS: 

Bliss was a hard one for me, because she doesn't really describe herself much, and she doesn't have the highest of confidence levels. I pictured her with long brown hair, and I saw her as pretty but without the confidence of someone who knows they are pretty. I found this picture, and I actually have no idea who the model is, but I liked her for Bliss!

CADE: 

Okay, even though my heart left me when Garrick arrived, I still found Cade absolutely adorable. As Bliss' best friend, his commitment to her was so sweet. He was the perfectly cute friend, too bad Garrick was hotter.

For Cade, I chose Landon Liboiron, because I thought he had a sort-of boy-next-door, sweet look about him. Cade is reliable and emotional, and I could see that being a possible for Landon as an actor.

KELSEY:

Kelsey is Bliss' friend who forces her to go out and be sociable, which leads to Garrick and Bliss meeting (Thank you Kelsey). I picture her blond and pretty, the typical pretty girl who is attempting to be an actress. I don't know this girl's name either, but she fits my description of Kelsey :)

What do you think of my dream Cast? Look out for my review of Losing It, coming soon!

Team Love: Team Edward

You may have noticed my growing collection of Team Stickers, over on the left hand side. It is pretty much a list of boys that I would marry if they were real *sigh*. Let's just pretend, for now, that they are. You don't do that anyway? Well, I do...

Moving on. My list of boys contains the sexy and the sweet, the good and the bad, but never the ugly. Unless you are looking at pictures of Jamie Campbell Bower from The Mortal Instruments movie.

Team Edward (Twilight)-

This isn't exactly how I pictured him, I just didn't want a picture of Robert Pattinson :)

Edward Cullen... He was probably my first book boy crush back in middle school. Even the movies have ruined the reputation of the saga, and my view of Edward, I still count the book version as one of my Teams. Though I am team Jacob in the movies (only because Taylor Lautner is really good looking), Edward was always the one who pulled on my heartstrings while reading the books. 

Not only is he tall, handsome, attractive, nice smelling, and smart, he is totally in love with Bella. Yes, yes, I know he struggles with trying not to kill her, but I find it so cute that he loves her so much, when he could probably just have any girl ever.

I still can't decide if I am going to watch the last Breaking Dawn movie. I probably should, because I have seen all of the others at the midnight release, I'm just kind of done with them by now. However, I think any time I go back and reread Twilight, I will still love Edward Cullen.

Team Love: Team Adam

You may have noticed my growing collection of Team Stickers, over on the left hand side. It is pretty much a list of boys that I would marry if they were real *sigh*. Let's just pretend, for now, that they are. You don't do that anyway? Well, I do...

Moving on. My list of boys contains the sexy and the sweet, the good and the bad, but never the ugly. Unless you are looking at pictures of Jamie Campbell Bower from The Mortal Instruments movie.

TEAM ADAM (Shatter Me):

Amber Skye, my affiliate and commonly known as my partner in crime by most of our teachers, and I have recently been fangirling over ADAM KENT (eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee). I pretty much fell in love with him on the first page of his existence in Shatter Me. He is PERFECT. Like, perfectttttt. He's basically a book version of Jack Dawson and Westley from the Princess Bride, except a tall, gorgeous soldier with brown hair and blue eyes. Not to mention, he is the sweetest boy alive. Well, the sweetest boy in Shatter Me. Some of his quotes...I just can't take it.

"He whispers, "You have no many times how much I've thought about you. How many times I've dreamt" -he takes a tight breath- "how many times I've dreamt about being this close to you." He moves to run a hand through his hair before he changes his mind. Looks down. Looks up. "God, Juliette, I'd follow you anywhere. You're the only good thing left in this world."

"He smiles a small smile. His lips twitch like he's trying not to laugh. His eyes soften as they study my own. "There's very little I wouldn't do for you."

He is just adorable. Team Adam all the way. I really don't understand how anyone can be Team Warner, when Adam is so amazing and sweet and dedicated to Juliette. All I know is that if I ever meet Tahereh Mafi, I will probably fall on the floor and worship her feet for creating such a wonderful boy. I CAN'T WAIT FOR UNRAVEL ME!

TWO YEAR BLOGAVERSARY

So, I just realized that it was my two year blogaversary last week!! 

That is so strange... Well, thank you to Amber Skye. She is the one who gave me the idea and helped me set it up, so thank you Amber!! (Go to her blog HERE, it's pretty awesome).

My Mortal Instruments Soundtrack

I wrote a post about author's "soundtracks" for books, or the playlist they listen to when they are writing a book. I decided to come up with my own playlist for one of my favourite books, City of Bones.

Poison and Wine- The Civil Wars
"I don't love you, and I always will...I don't have a choice, but I still choose you."

I think this song fits, because it has the ambivalent relationship. Jace was confusing in the beginning, acting like he did and didn't like Clary.

Temporary Bliss- The Cab
"We were on fire, now we're frozen."

This song reminds me of when Clary and Jace realize they are siblings, and have to pretend they don't have feelings for each other.

Angel With A Shotgun- The Cab
"I don't care if heaven won't take me back. I'll throw away my faith, babe, just to keep you safe."

Jace doesn't believe he's good, but he will do anything to save Clary from danger.

Slow Dancing in a Burning Room- John Mayer
"I was the one you always dreamed of, you were the one I tried to draw. How dare you say it's nothing to me? Baby, you're the only light I ever saw."

The drawing part reminds me of Clary drawing pictures of Jace, and their confusion about how each other felt.

Icarus Wings- Tom Baxter
"Don't stand so close to me. I'll bring you down. But, I'll fly beneath the sun, you can watch me burn."

Jace thinks he is such a terrible person, and he tries to stop everyone from getting close to him.

Calls Me Home- Shannon LaBrie
"Back in the day, I was so lost and proud...I'm coming home to breathe again, to start again."

Jace realizes that he doesn't want to live without Clary, that he is a better person with her.

The Lightning Strike- Snow Patrol
"The perfect halo of gold hair and lightning."

Jace is described as having golden hair and looking like a Greek God, so this reminded me of him.

Just A Little Girl- Trading Yesterday
"You could never understand the demons that I face."

For me, this is talking about the physical demons Jace faces, but also the inner demons he must face to let himself love Clary.

Like A Knife- Secondhand Serenade
"These scars will stay forever... Stay with me, or watch me bleed. I need you just to breathe."

When Jace is hurt, the iratze scars will remain forever, and Clary needs him to be alive, even if she can't be with him.

Shattered- Trading Yesterday
"All is lost, hope remains, and this war's not over. There's a light, there's a sun, taking all shattered ones. To the place we belong, and this love will conquer all."

They still have to fight demons, but they are shattered. They must build themselves up again by loving each other.

Glasgow Love Theme- Craig Armstrong

This song doesn't have any lyrics, but I just think the song is so nice to listen to.

When The Body Speaks- Depeche Mode
"I'm just an angel, driving blindly through this world. I'm just a slave here, at the mercy of a girl."

Jace realizes that he can't live without Clary, that he must know that she is safe at all times, shackling himself to her.

Go Away- Eisley
"You are a part of my soul, boy."

Jace and Clary are the same, they are both part angel and soul mates.

In My Veins- Andrew Belle
"Oh, you're in my veins, and I cannot get you out."

Even when they can't be together, there is no way for Jace and Clary to forget their love for each other.

Hold Me In Your Arms- Ray LaMontague
"I could hold you in my arms. I could hold you forever."

Jace will love Clary forever :)

ARC Review: The Dark Light by Sara Walsh

Mia is torn between two guys—and two worlds—in this epic, romantic fantasy.

Mysterious lights have flickered above Crownsville for as long as Mia can remember. And as far as she’s concerned, that’s about the only interesting thing to happen in her small town.

That is, until Sol arrives. Mia’s not one to fall for just any guy, but she can’t get Sol—or the brilliant tattoo on his back—out of her mind.

Then Mia’s brother goes missing, and Mia’s convinced that Sol knows more than he’s sharing. But getting closer to Sol means reevaluating everything Mia once believed to be true. Because Sol’s not who Mia thought he was—and neither is she.